Tablets of 2013 Rundown: Nexus vs. Surface vs. iPad

Lol, it would be nice if other "unknown" tablet brands are also mentioned.
Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt with a quad-core CPU for $99.
check this link: http://liliputing.com/2013/02/quad-core-gets-cheap-99-cherry-mobile-tablet-hits-the-philippines.html

There are quite a few notables missing such as the offerings from Samsung and Asus.

Strange to see the tablets of 2013 in march. Nothing from the Samsung Note series? They have a new 8 inch tablet coming out that will probably be popular in 2013. Or maybe this is just a Surface/iPad/Nexus comparison.

Also, the surface pro is a tablet in looks only. Sure it has a touch screen, but it has a laptop processor. It's so much faster than other tablets it's not really fair to compare them. The battery life is also so much worse, it's not really fair to compare them. http://www.anandtech.com/show/6695/microsoft-surface-pro-review/5 It's a device for a different audience.

To me, the market of tablets has stalled innovation-wise. The specs don't improve either.
I hope things will change toward the end of 2013 with better battery life and processor offerings.

What really is the premise for this article.. seems like it based on apps.

Tablet features..?

How can you compare an iPad with Surface Pro?? Surely a more unbiased comparison would be with a standard surface? I'm getting the feeling this is not supposed to be an unbiased view!

If you want a cheap tablet that does the stuff you need there is nothing wrong with the Android tablets. It is pretty amazing how cheap some of them are. Even the larger Samsung tablets can be found very cheap.

I think that MS have worked themselves into a corner with tiles. Where do you go after tiles? On a similar theme where do you go with large fonts that don't fit on the screen properly? Are tiles and large fonts really the future of Windows?

The way I see it the only change from tiles and large fonts must be to some new design that is considered the next big thing that comes after tiles and that is not a good user experience. Look at the uproar now with the change to tiles. Do people want even want tiles? MS are doing their best to convince you that you need tiles but I never heard anyone say hey I with this interface had lots of flashy colorful tiles.

Thinking about the Surface... what is it really? Its just another Windows laptop and not necessarily a good one. Is Windows 8 a great tablet OS? Probably not, I mean it is not setting any tablet sales records and under the tablet component is the same old desktop that is not very finger friendly and not really usable on a tablet at all.

Windows RT looks to be dead and Windows RT tablets are not getting anyone excited. Is anyone apart from MS even making one? A bit random, I hope you appreciate.

On the phone, I think tiles are a good concept... and they work... I can make my Android phone look exactly like it, with 'Live' tiles and everything... or I can just use widgets, but I do think WP8 is alright... but on a desktop, W8 is just meh. It's faster than W7, but it's obvious most people don't care for the new tiled start screen... and tablets aren't really selling as well as you'd think. Apple clearly holds the crown there, and Android is coming in second.

Is tiles the future of computing? Doubt it. But I guess we can wait and see... They don't bother me like most, but then again I never see the start screen anymore since all I use my desktop PC is for gaming... for everything else I use my Chromebook.

I'd love to see factual numbers about how Apple is dying a rapid death in China, let alone the overall sales of the W8/Android tablets... I mean, I don't want to just trust your word on this, I want evidence.

Has anyone @ TechSpot ever used a Microsoft Surface (RT) ...?

It is quite obvious that none have... cuz it's functionality is superb. What tablet has microSD and mouse support ? Detachable keyboard..? So why wasn't it included..?

I support Android Tablets about 45 own/tested/rooted, since 2010. But most of my members on my forums still consider COBY KYROS TABLETS better! To me the 7" models are better in price still offer a good features considering COBY is not a well known name for tablets.

Their first tablet was introduced on HSN which was the MID7005, which was quickly replaced by the MID7015 which become very popular. That was soon replaced by the MID7022 and later with ICS 4 the MID7042.

They now have dual core MID7065. In all these tablets are cheaper but you get more bang for the buck. I also own the Toshiba Thrive 16GB Tegra 2 Dual Core with 1GB of RAM Android Tablet now has ICS on it. This 10.1" tablet has a lot of features and the extra dock with charging and HDMI and 2x USB ports makes it good add-on. You can get Blue Tooth wireless keyboard and mouse from Toshiba for it. Gives you some cool extras.

Considering tablets are great for doing certain things like monitoring WiFi Networks, remote control, you can stream media from your network servers if you have the right software, like in the Thrive I've mention offers this feature so you can share Windows 7 or 8 shares to the Android tablet. Also Print Screen and Brother iPrint/iScan for android with the Brother WJ series MFC Printers works like a remote control for your Brother device. In all you can do a lot with these tablets where the laptop and netbook would just get in the way.

Tablet can be in your SUV, CUV, Truck, VAN, CAR either you mount it near the dash or on the rear head rest. These devices can play MP3 and any media. They can be tethered also.

MS RT very good tablet but the cost of them are just way to high and that's why more lean towards Android tablets. Also COBY is on top followed by CRAIG and VISUAL LAND and SKYTEX ALPHA2. Brands you never really see get much of a write up in the press. But cost less than the Nexus 7 and do come with Mini HDMI out either 720p or 1080p @ 60Hz along with MicroSD slot 16GB to 32GB.

@Guest above, the Surface RT was included... you just missed clicking on the right arrow to expand the table.

Either way, RT is a nice tablet in terms of hardware, but not worth the money because of the inherent software limitations. Who knows what Apple and Android partners will come up with in the next year, but I'm personally looking forward to a lightweight Haswell based tablet that runs full Windows 8 that is smaller AND cheaper than an ultrabook -- this way it can compete against other tablets directly (unlike Surface Pro) while still having the software upper hand This would make the ideal secondary computer, like a netbook back in the day, just so much better.

If I ever got a new tablet, it would have to be running either Windows 8. For me, it's about what the product can do, and with Windows 8 I can get more things done.

Right prior to Windows 8 tablet there were Windows 7 tablet those were more like netbook with a touch screen. Heavier than RT and Pro. User Windows make it easier to adjust if you have windows desktop already why not get a Windows tablet. Android Tablets can connect to Windows PC share files and transfer media. Also you can print, share data. RT nice but the price is not.

This fight will be great with the next gen surface vs ipad 5 vs Nexus 10 2. The nexus 10 lacks a powerful CPU and it can barely drive the high res screen

Microsoft has balls asking that type of money for the Surface. Do they really think just because its 'Microsoft' product with their new shiny Tablet OS, people are going to buy it? Haven't they realized, like Sony, they have lost the ability to sell something at a higher price just because thier logo is on it? How long will they continue to milk the past?
I mean don't get me wrong I actually like Windows 8/RT + the i5 is nice, (I am setting up a 24" 1080p Sony Vaio touch-screen for a doc so I am getting used to Windows 8) but that price still seems a little heavy....just my 02.

Err, how about we exclude MS surface pro from the list? since it's a full windows 8 disguised as tablet..

Ok, I had to snicker a bit at that one. While, I might initially agree that the price point seems too high, consider that the top end Surface Pro (a complete PC that runs legacy software) listed is $999 and the top end iPad (a limited tablet stuck within Apple's walled garden ecosystem) is $929. Compare the features/options/power, and then maybe reassess who has the bigger balls?